إَذا لَم تَكُن إِبلٍ فَمَعزى

إَذا لَم تَكُن إِبلٍ فَمَعزى

كَأَنَّ قُرونَ جَلَّتها عَصِيُ

كَأَنَّ قُرونَ جَلَّتها عَصِيُ

If there are no camels, then goats will do.

The horns of their largest are like staves.

إِذا ما قامَ حالِبُها أَرنَت

إِذا ما قامَ حالِبُها أَرنَت

كَأَنَّها الحَيُّ صَبَحَهم نَعيُ

كَأَنَّها الحَيُّ صَبَحَهم نَعيُ

When their milker rises, they bleat aloud,

As though they were a clan brought news of death at dawn.

فَتَملَأُ بَيتَنا أَقطاً وَسَمنا

فَتَملَأُ بَيتَنا أَقطاً وَسَمنا

وَحَسبُكَ مِن غِنى شَبعٌ وَرِيُ

وَحَسبُكَ مِن غِنى شَبعٌ وَرِيُ

So they fill our house with dried curds and clarified butter,

And wealth enough for you is a full belly and quenched thirst.